Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Democrat, raised more than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the third quarter, raking in an impressive $2.5 million for the competitive Senate contest.

Lundergan Grimes' $2.5 million haul is her first as a Senate candidate. She now has $2 million in cash on hand for this top-target Senate contest.

Her third-quarter total is more than the $2.3 million McConnell raised — which McConnell aides have touted as his best quarter to date. It's an impressive feat for a first-time congressional candidate, as McConnell is routinely among the most prolific fundraisers in Congress.

McConnell reported a little less than $10 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30. As of the end of June, McConnell's sum marked the largest campaign war chest of any senator seeking re-election.

Lundergan Grimes' haul is also more than the $822,000 McConnell's GOP primary opponent Matt Bevin raised in the third quarter. Bevin's total includes a $600,000 personal loan to his campaign. He reported $165,000 in cash on hand at the end of the quarter.